


A Brighter World

by petiteinsomniac



Category: The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: Family, Family Fluff, Fluff, M/M, New Parents, and there's a baby!, kevin and connor are becoming dads!, original (child) character - Freeform, they're nervous and excited and it's cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-05 06:16:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15857907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petiteinsomniac/pseuds/petiteinsomniac
Summary: Kevin and Connor are meeting their daughter today- and they're both so excited they can hardly stand it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I might continue this? Idk, maybe just snapshots of family life. Or maybe not, we'll see.

“Come on,” Kevin groaned, bouncing in place where he stood by the front door, his hand already on the know. “Come on, come on, come on.” 

“Just- just give me a minute,” Connor insisted. 

“Connor!” Kevin exclaimed. “Please can we just go?” He received a glare in response from his husband, who was straightening his pale pink tie for what must have been the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. 

“Your tie is fine,” Kevin said impatiently. Connor turned his blue eyes on his husband, trying very hard to channel his District Leader persona as he fixed Kevin with a glare. 

“I haven’t worn a tie in years, Kevin,” he snapped. “I’m just making sure.” 

“Well, you’ve made sure about ten thousand times more than was necessary,” Kevin sighed. “You look fine, it’s not like she’s going to know anyway.” He glanced at the watch that was resting casually on his wrist beneath the effortlessly rolled sleeves of his semi-casual navy blue button-down. It was Connor’s favorite one, the one with a very subtle white polka dot pattern if you looked closely, which looked fantastic on Kevin with a pair of tight dark blue jeans and the brown shoes that were perfectly dressy without being too dressy for an overall look that was sort of feminine but not too feminine. That was Kevin; he looked perfect and fit right in no matter where they were, and while Connor loved it, right now he sort of hated it as well. Kevin ran a hand through his perfect hair and turned dark, desperate eyes on his husband. 

“Connor, please,” he begged. “Please. We’re going to get our baby. Our baby. I’m going to absolutely die if we don’t leave right now.” 

Connor looked up at him, which he instantly regretted. He couldn’t resist that look, not when it was Kevin giving it to him. And Kevin was right- they were going to get their baby. The thought of it made Connor’s heart race. After such a long time of wanting it and crossing their fingers and wishing on stars and hoping and yes, even praying, it was finally happening. They were going to pick up their newborn from the hospital. Their child. It was almost too much for Connor to wrap his head around. He nodded at Kevin, and dropped his hands from his tie. 

“Finally,” Kevin sighed in obvious relief. However, as Connor moved to walk past Kevin out of the house, Kevin suddenly stopped, tugging Connor back by his wrist. 

“What?” Connor asked uncertainly. “You were just begging me to leave.” 

“I know,” Kevin said, but his voice had taken on a softer quality now. “It’s just…” he trailed off and looked around, between Connor and the inside of their home. “It’s just that this is the last time we’re going to be here before we become a family. Before we become dads.” 

“Oh,” Connor breathed softly. “You’re right.” He looked around the room then as well, looking between his home and his husband. Suddenly, he lowered his gaze to the floor and took a breath. 

“Woah, what’s wrong?” Kevin asked, catching on very quickly to the shift in his husband’s demeanor. 

“Kevin, what if we screw it up?” Connor asked, looking up to meet Kevin’s gaze. His blue eyes were wide and earnest, a window to his fear. “What if...what if I’m a horrible dad? What if I’m not good enough for her, and she grows up and she hates me?” 

“Connor, she isn’t going to hate you,” Kevin replied, resting his hand at Connor’s elbow and running his thumb over the soft skin of Connor’s forearm. 

“She might,” Connor answered. “You’re- you’re so perfect, Kevin, and you do everything with such enthusiasm and you turn everything into an opportunity and everyone adores you when they get to know you and I’m just- what if I’m not good enough?” 

“Hey,” Kevin said softly. “Connor, look at me.” Connor raised his eyes to Kevin’s again, meeting his husband’s warm, familiar brown eyes. 

“You,” he began, gently running his thumb over Connor’s cheek as he rested his palm against Connor’s jaw, “are perfect. You are perfect in your imperfections and in your little neuroses and in the softness and the leadership and oh my god, Connor, are you going to be most amazing dad in the whole entire world.” 

“You really believe that?” Connor sniffed, and Kevin couldn’t help but laugh lightly. 

“Are you kidding?” he asked. “Sweetheart, this little girl is going to just adore you. The same way that I do.” Connor couldn’t help but smile slightly at the way his husband managed to speak words into existence and fill up his heart the way that only Kevin Price had ever been able to do. 

“But you’re going to be the fun dad,” Connor said. Kevin rolled his eyes. 

“Connor, do you even hear yourself?” he asked. “You tap dance.” 

And Connor laughed- really laughed- and then just like that it was as if somehow, by the magic that his husband exuded, he was okay again. Nervous and excited and overwhelmed by the sheer knowledge that their whole lives were about to change in huge ways that neither of them could comprehend, but okay. Because whatever this little life was going to bring to the table, he was going to do it with Kevin at his side, and that was all that mattered. 

“Let’s go get our daughter,” Kevin whispered, leaning in to press his lips against Connor’s and when Connor’s heart leapt against his ribs, he wasn’t sure if it was the kiss or what they were about to do. Either way, he knew he was ready. 

 

“You okay?” Connor asked an hour later as he and Kevin stood hand in hand in an otherwise empty room. 

“Mmhmm,” Kevin answered, nodding his head quickly. 

“Are you sure?” Connor asked. “You’re kind of shaky.” 

“We’re about to be parents, Connor, of course I’m shaky,” Kevin answered. Connor smiled slightly. 

“Well unless you want to not be able to hold your daughter, you better get it together,” he teased. To his surprise, Kevin turned to him seriously. 

“I want you to hold her first,” he said. 

“What?” Connor asked. Kevin always wanted to be first; it had become a foregone conclusion in their relationship to the point that Connor no longer even bothered to argue the point. For Kevin to willingly give up that spot for this- arguably the most important thing they’d ever done- was more than a little surprising. Kevin looked over to find Connor staring at him in what could only be described as utter shock, and sighed. 

“It’s just- I always insist on doing everything first,” Kevin said. “But you’re the reason we’re doing this. I never would have had the guts to pursue it the way that you did, and as desperately as I want to meet our daughter, you’re the reason we get to have her in our lives.” His dark eyes had never looked so sincere, which was impressive considering Kevin’s usual earnest expression. He trailed his fingers along Connor’s arm and brought them to rest against his, tangling their hands together. 

“You should be the first this time, Connor,” Kevin said softly, and Connor had to blink back tears. Kevin cracked a bright smile at the sight of the glassiness in his husband’s eyes. 

“You might not want to cry,” he said. “You want to be able to see her, right?” 

“Shut up,” Connor sniffed. “You know we’re both going to cry.” He swiped at his eye with the back of his hand, thinking that Kevin had a point; they were definitely both going to cry, but he did want to get a look at their little girl first. 

“Gentlemen, are you ready?” 

Kevin and Connor looked up to see a smiling, friendly-faced nurse hovering at the door. Kevin grinned brightly at her, open and unguarded and instantly charming in the way that his smile always was. 

“Very ready,” he answered, and though Connor could feel his husband’s hand shaking, he also knew that Kevin had spoken accurately for both of them; they couldn’t have been more ready if they had tried. 

“Alright,” she answered, and a moment later she was standing before them with a bundle of white receiving blankets and a little pink hat. Connor heard Kevin draw in a sharp breath as Connor let go of his hand and reached out to take the baby. 

“Congratulations,” the nurse said warmly. “She’s all yours.” 

Connor couldn’t help but gasp at the sight of the infant’s sweet, tiny face as he settled her in his arms. At the edges of her little cap, wisps of strawberry blonde hair were visible against smooth, pink baby skin. As she nestled her tiny body against Connor, he found that he could no longer draw in a breath. 

“Breathe, Connor,” Kevin’s soft, tearful voice reminded him from just left of his ear, and Connor managed to listen. 

“Oh my god,” he breathed. “Kevin-” 

“She’s perfect,” Kevin marveled in the quietest voice Connor thought he’d ever heard his husband use. “Oh my god, Connor, she’s perfect.” 

“I- I-” 

“It’s okay, I know,” Kevin said, and with that he wrapped his arm around Connor, drawing him in close and pressing a long, lingering kiss to his temple without ever taking his dark eyes off of the baby. 

As the two of them watched, tears streaming down their cheeks, the iinfant slowly started   
to stir and her little lashes fluttered to reveal dark blue eyes. 

“Oh,” Connor breathed. “Hi, sweet girl. Hi there.” 

“Oh my god,” Kevin breathed. He reached out and rested the tip of his finger against the baby’s outstretched palm and watched as she curled her tiny fingers around his. 

“Connor?” he asked in a shaky voice. 

“Mmhmm?” Connor replied, unable to even glance up at Kevin for fear of missing anything about the magical creature he was holding in his arms. 

“I love her so much,” Kevin whispered. Connor nodded his head quickly. 

“I know,” he choked. “Me too.” 

“You hear that, little one?” Kevin whispered, leaning forward just enough to peer at the baby’s face. “We love you so much.” 

“This is-” 

“Incredible,” Kevin finished immediately, and Connor nodded mutely. 

“She’s incredible,” he whispered. 

“Okay, I can’t take it anymore,” Kevin announced. “You gotta let me hold her, Connor, I’m dying.” Connor finally tore his gaze away from the baby to look at Kevin, and when he saw the look on his husband’s face, he didn’t regret it one bit. It was pure, unadulterated love, the likes of which Connor had never seen on Kevin’s perfect features. It stopped Connor in his tracks, watching the person he loved most in the world look down at the little being that had just entered their universe, the child that was changing everything and who Connor already loved in ways he hadn’t thought possible. 

“Okay,” he chuckled. “Here.” 

It was an instant feeling of emptiness that Connor experienced as he passed the baby to Kevin, but watching the way his husband cradled their ddaughter- their daughter, he couldn’t believe that was a phrase he got to say now- close to his broad chest and looked down at her, tears streaming steadily down his cheeks, suddenly Connor felt filled up again. 

“Hi,” Kevin whispered. “Hi, little girl. I’m your Dad. One of ‘em.” Connor ran his hand tenderly over the baby’s head and rested his own head against Kevin’s shoulder. 

“You think the name we picked out for her fits?” Connor asked, and Kevin briefly turned his brilliant smile on Connor. 

“I think it’s perfect,” he answered. Connor nodded, tears in his eyes. 

“Me, too,” he whispered. Connor took a deep breath and looked down at the child in Kevin’s arms. 

“Welcome to the world, Maisie,” he whispered. 

“Maisie Aurora McKinley,” Kevin murmured, meeting the gaze of their already-curious little girl, who had been quietly observing them from her secure place in Kevin’s arms. 

“Kevin, she’s our daughter,” Connor breathed, and Kevin laughed breathlessly. 

“Yeah, she is,” he marveled. “I love you so much, Connor, but...I’ve never felt like this.” 

“Good, because I haven’t either,” Connor whispered, and Kevin laughed. He leaned against Connor and Connor smiled down at their baby. 

“You know,” Kevin began, “her hair reminds me of yours.” He glanced between Maisie and Connor, watching a proud smile spread over his husband’s face. 

“Yeah,” Connor said with a slight nod. “Yeah, it kinda does, doesn’t it?” 

“Yeah,” Kevin laughed lightly. 

“Kevin?” Connor asked softly after a quiet moment in which they both just stared at the baby in awed silence. 

“Yeah?” 

“I’ve never been so glad that I decided to stop turning it off.” Kevin glanced over at him, watching the way he looked at little Maisie, love shining in his bright blue eyes like never before. 

“Well good,” Kevin said finally with a smile. “Because we’re never letting you go back.” He glanced down at the baby. “Right, Maisie?” he added with a smile. “We’re never letting Daddy turn it off again, right? Because we love him so, so much.” 

And Connor thought that his heart might physically burst and leave him in a million tiny pieces, and he thought that maybe that was why so many people wanted to turn it off, but for Connor? 

He would never flip that switch again. Not when he had this when the lights were on. As he leaned his head against Kevin’s shoulder, Connor thought that the world had never looked brighter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Maisie is inconsolable in the middle of the night two days after her arrival, Kevin believes it to be his fault, but Connor can see the situation for what it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of you liked this so I continued it! I'll probably write some more of these little snapshots and if you have ideas for them leave them in the comments (but keep in mind I'll only do them if they spark my creativity)

The first thing that Connor noticed was that something was missing. It took him almost no time at all to put the pieces together and become aware that it was Kevin that was missing; after so many years of waking up with Kevin at his side, no matter the time of night, it was jarring at first. Connor blinked against the darkness and reached out to brush his fingers against the sheets on Kevin’s side of their bed, finding them cool to the touch. He frowned slightly, and then as he sat up he strained his ears to listen. 

Then, he could hear it. The sound of Maisie crying was much more faint without the baby monitor, which Connor had just realized was also missing from their bedroom. He couldn’t hear Kevin, though he assumed he was with their daughter, who they had brought home merely two days earlier. Already it had been a huge adjustment, as they had expected it to be, but they were both so madly in love with her that they didn’t mind one bit. Knowing that there was no chance Connor would be able to go back to sleep, he slid from the edge of the bed and padded across the floor with a yawn, running a sleepy hand through his messy red hair. As he drew closer to the nursery that he and Kevin had meticulously decorated, his level of alarm increased. By the time he was right outside, he could hear Maisie crying loudly, and he could also hear his husband. 

“Shh, shh,” Kevin was soothing frantically. “Maisie, honey, you’re okay. Daddy’s got you. Please stop crying.” Connor paused, listening. “Please,” Kevin begged, and Connor was alarmed to hear that his husband sounded near tears. “Please just stop crying, baby, I don’t know what else to do.” 

Connor pushed open the door and took in the scene before him. Kevin, pacing back and forth as he gently bounced the inconsolable newborn in his arms, looked on the verge of an absolute breakdown. The sight tugged at something in Connor’s chest, and all he could think of was making it better- for both of the people he loved. 

“Kevin?” Connor asked, and Kevin turned to him, looking both relieved and panicked. 

“Connor,” he breathed. “I’m so sorry, did she wake you up?” he asked. 

“No, no,” Connor assured him, taking another couple of steps forward into the nursery. “How long has she been crying like that?” 

Connor didn’t think he had sounded judgemental, and he certainly hadn’t felt it. Yet, at the sight of the expression that crossed Kevin’s features, he immediately knew that he had said something wrong. Kevin’s face crumbled and tears immediately began to stream down his cheeks. 

“I’ve tried everything, Connor, she just won’t stop crying,” Kevin sobbed. 

“Okay, okay,” Connor soothed. “Kevin, it’s okay. Give me the baby.” 

“No- I- why can’t I get her to calm down?” Kevin whispered. 

“It’s alright,” Connor assured him. “Honey, just let me have her. You look exhausted, and there are two of us here for a reason, alright?” 

“I’m-” Kevin looked down at Maisie, still screaming in his arms, and then with great reluctance he kissed her head and handed her over to his husband. Almost immediately, Maisie started to calm down, though she still continued to cry, and Connor thought Kevin had never looked so crushed. 

“Of course,” he whispered. “It was just me.” 

“Oh, Kevin, sweetheart, that’s-” 

“Don’t,” Kevin choked. 

“Alright,” Connor agreed softly. “Just go and lie down, alright? I’ve got her.” Kevin hesitated for a moment, and then he wordlessly left the room. Connor waited until he heard the telltale sound of their bedroom door before he let out the breath he’d been holding and bounced Maisie gently in his arms, looking down at the fair haired baby. 

“What was that all about, little girl?” he hummed. “I know. Daddy was upset, so you were upset, right?” He sighed, brushing his lips against her soft hair. Even though he was worried about his husband, Connor couldn’t help the rush of grateful affection that washed over him at the feeling of her in his arms. He still couldn’t believe she was theirs, this miracle that he was holding, and he snuggled her just a little closer. He wondered if he would ever get used to this- the knowledge that she was his daughter, his and Kevin’s. Forever. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t, and definitely not any time soon. 

“There you go,” Connor murmured. It seemed that most of the baby’s energy had been spent screaming in Kevin’s arms, for moments after he had left, she was already starting to fall asleep in Connor’s arms. “Okay, sweet girl,” Connor sighed. “I’ve got to go take care of your Daddy now. Yeah. But don’t you worry,” he continued as he kissed her head again and slowly lowered her to her bassinet. She barely stirred; all in all, she was so far a pretty easy baby. The situation that night was clear to Connor; Kevin had panicked, and the baby could pick up on the tension just like anyone else. He had no doubt that it had nothing to do with Kevin’s parenting abilities, but his overconfident husband was certain to see it differently. Satisfied that Maisie was settled and sleeping, he did a quick scan for their end of the monitor and grabbed it from the changing table before he took his leave, heading back to the bedroom. 

As Connor eased the door open, he could feel his heart drop in his chest. Kevin was curled up on the bed, facing the wall, and even from the distance, Connor could see that he was shaking. His shoulders trembled as he cried, his head buried in Connor’s pillow, which he had swiped from his husband’s side of the bed. Connor crossed the room in a couple of quick steps and sat next to Kevin, running his hand comfortingly over Kevin’s arm. 

“Kevin?” he asked softly. 

“Is she asleep?” Kevin’s voice was muffled by the pillow, and Connor found himself nodding even though Kevin couldn’t see him. 

“Yeah,” he murmured. “She is.” Kevin abruptly flopped over onto his back and then onto his other side and looked up at Connor through red-rimmed brown eyes. 

“Connor, I’m a terrible dad,” he choked. “She was just screaming and screaming and I tried everything but she was just still crying. I’m a terrible dad, she already hates me.” 

“Oh, Kevin,” Connor sighed, watching as a fresh wave of tears rolled down his husband’s cheeks. He settled next to Kevin on the bed and held his arms out to him. 

“Come here, sweetheart,” he murmured. Kevin curled into Connor’s side and buried his head against Connor’s neck. Connor ran his fingers soothingly through Kevin’s silky dark hair. “Kevin, you are not a terrible dad,” he said softly. 

“She hates me, Connor,” Kevin mumbled. “It’s been two days and I’ve already ruined the one thing I ever really wanted to succeed at.” 

“Honey, that’s not true,” Connor argued. “Hey. Look at me.” Reluctantly, Kevin raised his brown eyes to meet Connor’s and Connor smiled slightly at him. “She does not hate you,” he said patiently. “She’s just a baby, Kev. She can tell when you’re upset and it makes her more upset, too. That’s all it is. You were upset, and she could tell, and that made her cry, which made you more upset, right? And it just got out of hand. I promise you, she doesn’t hate you and you are not at all a terrible dad.” 

“I just- I felt so awful, Connor, the way she was crying just-” Kevin sighed. 

“I know,” Connor murmured. “But you know what, Kevin?” 

“What?” Kevin asked, looking up at Connor almost desperately. Connor smiled softly, running a tender touch over his husband’s cheek. 

“That just tells me what an amazing dad you are,” he confided. 

“What?” Kevin repeated, sounding skeptical. “You did see how inconsolable our daughter was just now, right?”   
“I did,” Connor chuckled. “But that’s not the point, Kevin. Sometimes babies are inconsolable. But I also see how inconsolable you are right now, and how much you care that Maisie was crying and you couldn’t calm her down, and how desperately you wanted to be able to help her. And that confirms for me what I already knew, which is that you, Kevin Price, are an incredible dad to our little girl.” 

There were tears in Kevin’s eyes again as he looked at Connor, overwhelmed in that moment by the love he held for the beautiful, kind, gentle human being in front of him. Connor somehow always knew what to say to reach Kevin, and he always did in the most sincere way- and truly meant it, too. 

“You really think that?” Kevin asked, despite knowing the answer. Connor laughed and leaned in to press a kiss to Kevin’s forehead. 

“I know that,” he said quietly. 

“Thank you,” Kevin said, more softness in his voice than Connor was used to for the most part. 

“It’s just the truth, Kev,” Connor said. He kissed Kevin then, light and warm and the kind of kiss that Kevin could melt into. 

“Come on,” Connor said with a sigh as he turned his bedside lamp off and plunged the room into darkness. “Let’s get some sleep before she wakes up again.” 

“Okay,” Kevin agreed. “Connor?’ 

“Yeah?” Connor replied as Kevin settled in next to him, resting his head on his husband’s shoulder. 

“Can I go and get her when she wakes up?” Kevin and Connor had devised a system of taking turns going to tend to the baby, but at the hesitant question, Connor smiled slightly and kissed the top of Kevin’s head. 

“Of course you can, Super Dad,” he laughed, and he didn’t miss the way Kevin smiled against him before the two of them fell into peaceful silence that bled into an hour of sleep before the baby was crying again; this time, Kevin returned with no incident- not that Connor had been lying awake just in case, because he definitely hadn’t been.


End file.
